Electroplating apparatus.



W. F. KOKEN 64 H. J. RICHARDS. ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED ocr. 19. 1914.

. 1 1 22 Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I- W. F. KOKEN & H. J. RICHARDS. ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPUCATION mm ocr. 19. 1914. 1,161,226. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER F. KOKEN ,AND HEDLEY J. RICHARDS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

n'rino'rnornarme ArranA'rns.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Na. 23, 1915.

Application filed Gctober 19, 1914. Serial No. $67,480.

United States, residing in St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electroplating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,'such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This inventionrelates to an electroplating apparatus. I

The main object of. our'in'vention is to provide a practicable apparatus for electroplating objects of various sizes and shapes, which permits the use of a high current density and produces a better deposit, and in less time than is possible with a still plating process.

Another object is to provide an electroplating apparatus which is not only as reliable and efficient as a still-plating apparatus, but which is so designed that it prevents the formation and adherence of gas, and enables articles to be plated in a fraction of the time required to plate articles by the still process now in general use. And still another object is to provide a compact electroplating apparatus which is so designed that it is not necessary for the workmen to handle or change the position of the articles during the process of plating same.

Other objects and desirable features of our invention will be pointed out.

Figure l of the drawings is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of an electroplating apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a view taken on the *line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top )lan view of an apparatus of more compact orm than shown in Fig. 1, but which will accomplish the same results; and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse. sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of our invention, A designates a tank, container or vat that holds a quantity of electrolyte or electrolytic solution. The cathodes, consisting of the articles being plated, are immersed in the solution and are arranged in groups, the apparatus herein shown comprising three groups of cathodes, designated by 1, 1 and 1.. Each of said groups of cathodes cohperates with two groups of anodes arranged in such a manner that the cathodes lie between an inner group and an outer group of anodes, the inner and outer group. of anodes that cooperate with the cathodes 1 being designated by the reference characters 2 and 3, respectively, those that cooperate with the cathodes 1 being designated by the reference characters 2 and 3*, respectively, and those that cooperate with the cathodes 1 being designated bythe reference characters 2 and 3", respectively. The anodes remain at rest in the electrolyte, but the cathodes are moved in a circular path through the electrolyte, so that fresh electrolyte will be brought to the cathodes continuously as fast as the metal is removed from the electrolyte.

Each group of cathodes is mounted on a carrier that preferably consists of a horizontally disposed member of skeleton construction, provided with a ring-shaped portion 4:, from which the cathodes are suspended by means of hooks 4?, said carrier being formed lower end of a vertically disposed shaft 5,

which is journaled in beams 6 that extend longitudinally above the container A.

The three cathode carriers are arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and means are provided for rotating said carriers continuously in the same direction, the means herein shown for this purpose consisting of a'horizontally disposed operating shaft 7 provided with beveled pinions 8 that mesh with beveled gears 9 on the cathode carrier shafts 5. Each inner group of anodes is suspended from a ring-shaped supporting member 10 of brass, copper or some other good conductor, that is mounted on a pier or upright 11 of non-conducting material in the container A. The outer anodes of the various groups are suspended from a stationary frame formed of some suitable conducting material, the frame herein shown being pro vided with three octagonal-shaped portions 12, as shown in Fig. 2, from which the outer anodes are suspended, so that each group of cathodes will be arranged approximately ,mid-way the two groups of anodes with vening partitions or dividing walls, any tendency of the solution to whirl or travel with the cathodes is overcome; in other words, by arranging two groups of cathodes in proximity to each other, and moving said cathodes in the same direction in a circular path, any tendency of the solution to whirl or travel with one group cathodes is overcome by the action of the solution through which the adjacent group of cathodes travel, because the cathodes of the respective groups that lie adjacent each other move in opposite directions. The result is that the solution remains in quiescent state. so that fresh solution is bl"; ght to the cathodes continuously while the apparatus is in operation.

The positive conductor 13 of the circuit connected by means or bus barsli with the conducting frame 12 that carries the outer anodes, and conductors 15 lead from the frame 12 to the ring-shaped conducting members 10, from which the inner anodes 2, 2* and 2 are suspended, the coinluctors if) being incased in conduits it as shown in Tip. 1. The negative conductor 17 of the circuit is connected to a conductor bar 18,, which preferably consists of a that strip of brass, copper or some other suitable conductor that extends longitudinally along the upper side of one of the beams 6, in which the cathode carrier shafts are journaled. Each cathode carrier shaft is provided wi h flanged collar 19 that is connected to said shaft in such a. manner that the horizontally disposed flange on the collar rests upon the conductor bar 18, thereby causing the entire weight of the carrier with the cathode there on to be supported by the conductor bar 13 and flanged collar 19, and thus insuring good electrical contact between the cathode is and the negative side of the circuit.

With an apparatus of the construction above described current of high voltage and amperage can be used successfully without burning the cathodes, and better deposits are obtained and in a fraction ot' the time required to el ctroplate articles in an apparatus in which the cathodes and anodes remain at rest in the electrolytic solution. And still another desirable feature of such an apparatus is that the circular motion of the cathodes through the solution prevents the formation and adherence of gas. Articles of various shapes and sizes can be plated successfully in such an apparatus, owing to the fact that the articles are immersed in a large body of electrolyte and suspended by hooks or other devices from a rotating carrier, and while the articles are being plated it is not necessary for the workmen to continually shift or change the position of the articles.

in Figs. 3 and l of the drawings we have illustrated an apparatus embodying our inmenses vention, which diders from the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in that it comprises only a single group of cathodes. Said cathodes are moved in a circular path through the electrolytic solution, but there is no tendency for the solution to whirl or travel with the cathodes, owing to the fact that the anodes are moved in a circular path in the opposite direction. The cathodes 20 are suspended from a, ring-shaped carrier 21, which carrier is connected to the lower end of a hollow shaft 22 that is provided at its upper end with b veled gear 23 that cc operates wi h a beveled pinion 24 on a drive shaft 25, said beveled gear 23 resting upon a conductor bar 26 that isconnected to the negative side of the circuit. lhe inner group of anodes 27 is carried by a ringshaped conducting member 28 that is secured to the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft 29 tnat passes through the hollow shaft 22, and which is provided at its upper end with a beveled gear 30 that meshes with a pinion 31 and a drive shaft 32. The cathodes 33 of the outer group are suspended from a ring-shaped carrier 3%, that is driven by means of a. shaft 35 provided with a pinion36 that meshes with a rack on the underside of the carrier 34, the positive conductor of the circuit being connected to aspring finger 37 that bears upon the carrier 3% and to a conductor bar 38 arranged under the gear 30 on the upper end of the shaft to which the inner anode carrier 28 is connected. The anode carriers 28 and 34 rotate in an opposite direction to the cathode carrier 21, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, thus causing any motion or current set up in the solution by the circular movement or" the cathodes to be counteracted by the movement of the anodes through the solution.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is;

1. An electroplating apparatus, comprising a tank for holding an electrolytic solution, means for sustaining two concentrically-arranged, annular groups of anodes in said solution, a rotatable cathode carrier for sustaining-cathodes that travel through said solution between said groups of anodes, a vertically-disposed shaft on which said carrier is mounted, an electrical conductor, and a contact device on said shaft that rests on said conductor and thus sustains the entire weight of said carrier and the cathodes on same.

2. An electroplating apparatus, comprising a tank or vet for holding an electrolytic solution, a'plurality of horizontally-disposed cathode carriers arranged adjacent each other above the solution in said tank for supporting cathodes that are immersed in said solution, a supporting shaft for each of said carriers suspended from a structure iii arra'n 'ed above the tank, a conducting bar, a contact device on each of said shafts that rests on said conducting bar and thus sustains the entire weight of the carrier and the cathodes on same, means for-rotating said carriers in the same direction, and means for supporting anodes in the solu:

tion in said tank in such a manner that each group of cathodes travels between an inner and an outer group of anodes.

3. An electroplating apparatus compris -v riers, a conducting bar mounted on said supporting structure and extending longitudr,

nally of the tank, substantially disk-shaped devices on said shafts that rest upon said conducting bar and thus sustain the weight of said. carriers and the loads on same, a drive shaft cooperating with all of said vertically-disposed shafts for rotating said carriers in the same direction, a substantially ring-shaped anode support cooperating with each carrier and having a plurality of anodes suspended therefrom and arranged within the path of travel of the cathodes on said carrier, and a frame of conducting metal that supports groups of anodes which are arranged outside of the path of travel of the cathodes on said carriers.

t. An electroplating apparatus, comprising a tank or vat for holding an electrolytic solution, a plurality of horizontallydisposed cathode carriers arranged above the solution in said tank and provided with substantially ring-shaped portions from which cathodes are suspended, a conductor bar, contact devices electrically connected with the ringshaped portions of said carriers and resting upon said conductor bar so as to sustain said carriers,ipedestals or iers in said tank provided with substantial y ringshaped supports from which anodes are sus-.

pended, an electrical conductingframe carrying groups of anodes that arearranged outside of the path of travel of the cathodes orrsaid carriers, and means for rotating said cathode carriers continuously in the same direction.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aifix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses, this 14thday of October, 1914.

WALTER F. KOKEN.

HEDLEY J. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

LEWIS E. Moons, EDGAR W. Minna. 

